Aero-News Network: The aviation and aerospace world's daily/real-time news and information service

FAA Proposes Dreamliner AD

Prompted By Numerous Reports That Proximity Sensors Have Failed

The FAA has posted a proposed AD for Boeing's 787-8 Dreamliner to the Federal Register after reports of numerous failures of the proximity sensor within the slat skew detection mechanism assembly (DMA) leading to slats-up landing events.

First Flight: Airbus Helicopters' EC645 T2

Bundeswehr To Receive The First Helicopters In This Series In Late 2015

Airbus Helicopters’ newest lightweight military multi-role helicopter, the EC645 T2 (LUH SOF), has successfully completed its first flight. In the presence of representatives of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), which has ordered the first of this new helicopter type, the EC645 T2 demonstrated its capacities at the company’s Donauwörth location in Bavaria.

SAFE Executive Director To Retire In February

Doug Stewart's Contract Expiring, Search On For New ED

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) announced on November 28 that Executive Director Doug Stewart will retire when his contract expires in February 2015. Stewart was instrumental in the formation of SAFE and has served in key leadership roles since the organization’s founding. He was elected as SAFE’s first Chair in 2009, transitioning into the role of Executive Director in November 2011.

USMC Awards Rolls-Royce V-22 Engine Services Contract

Two-Year Deal Will Provide Aftermarket Support For USMC, USAF Fleets

Rolls-Royce has been awarded a new, two-year contract to provide aftermarket engine support for the US Marine Corps and Air Force V-22 fleets, which provides a more than 30 percent reduction in support costs.

Martin Aircraft Company Extends IPO Offer Period

New Closing Date Is 1700 Local Time In Sydney, Australia December 12

The Initial Public Offering ("IPO") for Martin Aircraft Company Limited (“Martin Aircraft”or “Company”) was due to close Friday; however, Martin Aircraft is in ongoing discussions with a potential significant investor into the IPO.

TBM Owners And Pilots Association Convention Still Growing

Another Record-Breaking Convention Brings Together A Total Of 107 TBM Aircraft At New Orleans’ Lakefront Airport

The annual TBM Owners and Pilots Association (TBMOPA) broke another attendance record with the presence of more than 100 TBM 700s and TBM 850s, along with several brand-new TBM 900s.

Passengers Did Not Push Plane In Siberia, Russian Media Says

Passengers Asked To Debark To Lighten The Aircraft Made The Video For Fun, According To Reports

While it is true that a Russian UTAir Tupolev TU-134 became frozen to the ground at a remote Siberian airport, it is not quite as certain that the passengers on board the plane were asked to get out and push, as was widely reported.

Baggage Handlers Ignore 'Fragile' Markings On Band's Instruments

Band Members Captured Video Of Rough Treatment Of Gear From An Airliner's Cabin

Members of the Australian hip-hop trio Thundamentals were sitting on an Virgin Australia plane at Sydney Airport recently when one of the band members noticed their instruments being loaded onto the conveyor belt into the baggage compartment.

NASA To Tackle Climate Questions From Africa To Arctic

Five Airborne Field Campaigns Planned For 2015

Five new NASA airborne field campaigns will take to the skies starting in 2015 to investigate how long-range air pollution, warming ocean waters, and fires in Africa affect our climate. NASA says these studies into several incompletely understood Earth system processes were competitively-selected as part of NASA’s Earth Venture-class projects. Each project is funded at a total cost of no more than $30 million over five years.